


All the Love in the World

by Adrianna99



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Challenge Week, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, M/M, Yuuri's birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-06 05:16:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12810429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adrianna99/pseuds/Adrianna99
Summary: Katsuki Yuuri's story didn't begin at the Sochi Grand Prix Finals.  It didn't end there, either.





	1. Early Years

**Author's Note:**

> I am writing this for the Yuuri Birthday Week challenge, which so far is a lot of fun! Today's prompt was Day 1 - Beginnings | kid!Yuuri / Early years in skating. Hopefully I filled that sufficiently.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Hiroko was clearing a table in the main eating area of the onsen when Yuuri came to find her.

“Mama?” he said hesitantly, biting his lip and fiddling anxiously with the sleeve of his jacket.

Yuuri was only six, but he was already an anxious child, slow to socialize with other kids his age or say much in front of people who weren’t his family.Hiroko and Toshiya had talked about it at length, trying to figure out if their Yuuri had some other mental illness that might prevent him from interacting in the way most kids did, but they had decided to hold off on taking him to a doctor or therapist until he was just a little bit older.Now, Yuuri could barely look his mother in the eye as he stood in front of her, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other and taking small, quick breaths.

Hiroko quickly stopped what she was doing and crouched down by her son, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a gentle hug.“What’s the matter, Yuuri?” she asked, kissing him on the forehead.

Yuuri took a deep breath, and then blurted, “I wanna ice skate.”

Hiroko blinked.“You want to ice skate?” she repeated.

Yuuri nodded vehemently.“I wanna ice skate and I wanna win gold medals.And be better than Takeshi,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

Hiroko considered that.She knew Yuuri spent more time than he used to with his friends at the ice rink, but she hadn’t realized he was this serious about it.“I don’t see why not,” she said after a moment, nodding.

Yuuri looked up at her, eyes bright.“Really?” he gasped, lisping slightly.He had recently lost his second tooth, and there was a gap in his front teeth that he was constantly poking with his tongue.It was clear he had been very nervous about asking for something he wanted as much as this, but was delighted at the result.

Hiroko smiled and nodded wordlessly.In comparison to other children, and even in comparison to his sister, Yuuri really didn’t ask for much.  She and Toshiya would find a way to give him this.

Yuuri’s smile grew impossibly wide and happy, and he hugged his mother again.“Thank you, mama,” he whispered.

Hiroko smiled and hugged him back.“Of course.”They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Toshiya entered the room.

“Is this a group hug?” he said with a smile.“Can I join?”

Yuuri giggled as his father hugged the both of them from behind, tickling Yuuri’s side.“Mama said I could ice skate!” he exclaimed, looking happier than Hiroko had seen him in a long time.Toshiya made eye contact with her, and after a moment of consideration nodded.They would find a way to make this work, together.

“You’re going to be the best ice skater in all of Japan,” Toshiya promised fondly, smoothing Yuuri’s hair away from his face.Yuuri smiled shyly, and gave his father a hug before running off, saying something about telling Mari.Toshiya shifted to his arm was around Hiroko’s shoulders.

“He will be, you know,” Hiroko murmured.“He will be the greatest ice skater in Japan.”

Toshiya just chuckled.“I know.”

***

Hiroko took Yuuri to his first ice skating competition at the Hasetsu Ice Castle a few months later, after he had been deemed ready to “compete” in the 6-10 year old bracket. It was the off-season in the hotel business, and there weren’t too many guests at the onsen, so Hiroko had decided to watch Yuuri with the promise to bring back plenty of pictures for Mari and Toshiya.

Yuuri clung nervously to her hand as they made their way down the street towards the ice rink, other hand fiddling with the strap of his small skate bag over his shoulder, and finally Hiroko asked what was wrong.“Are you alright, Yuuri?” she asked. squeezing his hand back a little bit.

Yuurigave a small, sharp inhale, and let go.“Sorry,” he mumbled.“Sorry, ’m fine.”

Hiroko wordlessly took his hand again.“It’s alright to feel nervous, Yuuri,” she told him calmly, slowing their pace a little.Yuuri had insisted they leave half an hour early.They could afford to walk a little slower.

Yuuri swallowed, and then clutched at Hiroko’s arms.She could feel his hands trembling as he admitted in a small voice, “I feel like I’m gonna throw up, mama.”

Hiroko smiled sympathetically and smoothed Yuuri’s hair back so she could look him in the eye.“Do you need to go home?” she asked, and Yuuri quickly shook his head.“No!” he exclaimed quickly.

“I just… I wanna compete.”

Hiroko smiled.“I know you do,” she said.“Mari, your dad, and I are all so proud of you.”

Yuuri blinked up at her with wide, innocent brown eyes, straightened his spine, and then nodded.“C’mon, mama,” he said, tugging at her hand a little.

Hiroko laughed softly and let her son lead her to the ice rink.As soon as they got there, Yuuri raced inside with his small hands clutching his skating bag, looking for his friends.Hiroko followed a little slower, a fond smile on her face.Yuuri made a beeline across the lobby of the rink and quickly found his friend Yuuko. Yuuko gave him a smile and an excited hug when she saw him.

Hiroko wandered in their general direction, not wanting to infringe on Yuuri’s privacy with his friend, when a blur of movement caught her eye.Takeshi, a boy a year older than Yuuri who skated at the rink as well, body slammed Yuuri and almost knocked him over.“Hey, fatso, what are you doing here?” he said.

Hiroko bristled.Yuuri was a little chubby, yes, but he was by no means a fatso.

Before she could step in, however, Yuuko started to tell him off, giving him a sound talking to about bullying.Yuuri scowled up at the older boy, and kicked him in the shin before pointedly turning his back.

Hiroko smiled, and her smile widened when a familiar figure sidled up.“Hey, I didn’t know you’d be here,” Minako, Yuuri’s ballet instructor, said with a smile.

“I came with Yuuri,” Hiroko replied.“I’m excited to see him skate.”

“Yeah, he’s pretty good,” Minako agreed.“Come on, I’ll help you find a good seat.”

Hiroko glanced over at Yuuri, but he looked like he was alright.Yuuko was talking to him about something and Takeshi, while frowning sullenly, didn’t look like he was going to turn aggressive again.

Hiroko nodded.“Let’s go,” she agreed, and then followed Minako to a seat in the stands of the Ice Castle.

“Yuuri should be in the first group,” Minako said.“They’re doing the younger kids first.”

“How many people are competing?” Hiroko murmured as they sat, looking out at the empty ice.

“Business right now is surprisingly good,” Minako replied.“I think there are four boys skating in Yuuri’s age group.”

Hiroko smiled, and then sat up straighter as some of the younger kids walked out of the locker rooms, her son among them.Yuuri had his ice skates on, and he looked like he was one moment away from a breakdown, but as Hiroko watched Yuuko ran up and grabbed his hands, saying something that seemed to encourage him.Yuuri nodded, and then said something back.Yuuko hugged him, and then gave him a little push towards the ice. Yuuri visibly took a deep, gulping breath, and then with a little prompting stepped out onto the ice, only stumbling a little.

Hiroko pressed her hand to her mouth, smiling uncontrollably, as Yuuri started to skate.He had been practicing for this competition for a bit, and the only jump he could do was a little waltz jump (Minako whispered the name to Hiroko), but he skated like he was carving beautiful drawings into the ice.Hiroko was enraptured, watching with proud tears in her eyes as Yuuri skated with uncomplicated little step sequences and a few slow, slightly wobbly spins, moving across the cold ice as if he was dancing in Minako’s studio.Yuuri finished his routine just slightly off the music he had skated to, and posed proudly before falling to his knees, breathing hard.

Hiroko was the first on her feet, clapping wildly for her son.

***

Years later, the cheap plastic silver medal Yuuri won at that competition still hung in a place of honor in a display case at the onsen.

***

Yuuri was anxious.That was a given.But this time he knew he was anxious for a reason, a reason he could exactly pinpoint.Yuuri swallowed hard, feeling like he was going to throw up, and then stepped out of the doorway and into the kitchen of the onsen.

“Mama?” he said in a small voice.Hiroko glanced over at him with a small smile, and set down the spoon she was holding.

“Do you want to help, Yuuri?” she asked with a kind smile.

Yuuri steeled himself, and then blurted, “Mama, I think I would like kissing boys.”

Hiroko blinked, clearly a little surprised by the abruptness of his statement.When she didn’t say anything immediately, Yuuri curled in on himself, tears pricking at his eyes.He _knew_ he shouldn’t have said anything.He _knew_ he should have kept it to himself.

“Yuuri,” Hiroko said softly.“Please come here.”Yuuri looked up, shaking.Hiroko quickly gathered her son into her arms.“Yuuri, it’s alright, please don’t cry,” she said as Yuuri valiantly fought back tears.  He tried to stop his trembling, but he didn’t really succeed.

“Yuuri, Yuuri, it’s alright,” Hiroko said comfortingly.“Your father and I love you no matter who you want to kiss.I promise.”

Yuuri looked up at her with wide eyes.“Really?”

Hiroko chuckled.“All of the posters in your room of that Russian skater don’t exactly make it subtle,” she said.“We’ve suspected for a while.Thank you for trusting me, Yuuri.”

Yuuri smiled back a little shakily, overcome with relief.“Thank you, mama,” he said.

Hiroko just smiled, and hugged him a little bit tighter.


	2. It's Magic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 - Leisure | Skating / Other skills
> 
> I guess magic counts? I don't know. Also I don't know if it's a trigger or not, but there's some underage drinking in the first part. Don't drink underage!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was well known that Yuuri played a lot of video games.He had several online friends he gamed with, he and Phichit often had marathon gaming sessions when they had rest days, and it was even in his profile on the official JSF website.

One thing a lot of people didn’t know about Yuuri, however, was his covert interest in amateur magic tricks.It had started as a teenager, when he happened to see a video of an American magician performing party tricks online, and quickly evolved into almost a defense mechanism.The ability to be able to perform shoddy magic tricks, a novelty at his high school, kept any potential bullies entertained when Yuuko or Takeshi weren’t around, as Yuuri really didn’t want to resort to violence when given a hard time about his weight or his “gay skating.”

Yuuri first told Phichit about his interesting hobby his fourth year in America.Admittedly, they had been drinking in anticipation of their rest day the next day, and if he had been just a little less tipsy Yuuri might have kept things to himself and avoided the inevitable gentle teasing from Phichit.He wasn’t a little less tipsy.

“Phichit,” Yuuri said with a laugh, dropping heavily onto his roommate’s bed in their dorm room.

“Mmhm?” Phichit said from where he was nursing a cheap beer and reading _The King and the Skater_ fanfiction on his phone.

“Lookit what I can do,” Yuuri said with a wide grin, and then scrabbled behind Phichit’s ear before pulling a dime, a piece of dryer fluff, and a Kit-Kat bar seemingly from nowhere.

Phichit- more of a lightweight than Yuuri- stared wide eyed at what lay in the palm of Yuuri’s hand, distracted from his reading.“Yuuri!” he whined, picking up the coin.“Why didn’t you tell me you went to Hogwarts?”

Yuuri giggled again, dropping the fluff on the ground and opening the Kit-Kat before taking a large bite.“I can do more,” he said, delighted at the expression on his best friend’s face.“Wanna see?”Phichit nodded vehemently, slightly drunken awe in his eyes.

Yuuri slid bonelessly off the bed and scooted towards his bedside table, digging a deck of cards out of the drawer.He staggered back over to Phichit and fell on top of his friend’s legs, somehow not spilling a drop of his mostly-empty drink.“Pick one,” he ordered, clumsily shuffling and spreading the cards.With intense concentration, Phichit picked a card.

“Remember that,” Yuuri said, and then took the card back and shuffled it into the deck as Phichit watched with rapt attention.Yuuri squinted at the cards, and then teased one out of the deck.“Is this yours?” he asked, and Phichit’s eyes widened further.

“It is!” he exclaimed reaching out to take the ace of hearts before studying it.

“I can do another,” Yuuri told him, taking the card back impatiently.He shuffled, held the deck out, and had Phichit pick a card.When his friend had studied the card for a bit, Yuuri took it back and shuffled it in.

“Is this your card?” he asked, holding up the four of diamonds.Phichit shook his head, looking disappointed.

“What about the one in your pocket?” Yuuri asked, leaning back with a smug smile.

Phichit blinked, and then rummaged in the pocket of his too-big sweatshirt before pulling out the two of clubs.“Noooo…” he said sadly.“That’s not it either.”

Yuuri grinned, draining his drink.“The one in your hamster’s cage, then?” he asked.

Phichit stared at him and then got up and shuffled across the room, plucking the playing card out from between his hamster cage and the table it was sitting on.“This is it!” he exclaimed, staring in amazement at the seven of spades in his hands.He turned back to Yuuri.“How’d you do that?”

Yuuri didn’t answer.Yuuri was already asleep.

***

“Thank you so much for watching the kids,” Yuuko said gratefully, trying to pull her shoe on and talk to Yuuri at the same time.

Yuuri chuckled.“No problem, of course,” he said.“You and Takeshi deserve a night out.”

“We’re responsible,” Viktor added, putting a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder and smiling.“I’m sure we can handle the triplets for a few hours.”

“Just a warning,” Takeshi said as he pulled on his jacket.“They’re a little temperamental today.Axel and Lutz are having an argument about something or other, and Loop is just egging them on.”

“We’ve got it, Yuuko, enjoy your dinner,” Yuuri insisted, gently ushering his friend out the door.Yuuko smiled again, and then closed the door behind her.

Yuuri made eye contact with his fiancé.They were back in Hasetsu to pack up Yuuri’s things to move to Russia, but when Yuuri had heard that Yuuko’s babysitter had cancelled on them he had volunteered himself and Viktor for the night.

“What now?” Viktor asked, but before Yuuri could answer an enraged shriek echoed from the other room.

“I guess we should check that out,” Yuuri sighed.Viktor nodded ruefully, and the two men walked quickly into the other room, where they found Axel and Lutz being held apart by a giggling Loop.

“What’s going on here?” Viktor asked in his endearingly accented, slightly clumsy Japanese.

“I don’t know!” Loop exclaimed.“But it’s fun to watch!”

Yuuri looked around desperately for something to distract them.Knowing the triplets, the internet had caused the problem in the first place, so it probably wasn’t a good solution.He spotted a pile of coins on a table next to the door, and his fingers twitched as he suddenly remembered an old party trick, an old defense mechanism, an old hobby.

“Hey, careful, or you’ll shake all the coins out from behind your ears,” Yuuri said quickly, stepping into the room and palming the coins as he passed.Viktor gave him a confused look, a look mirrored by the triplets.

“What?” Axel and Loop said in unison, and Lutz just wrinkled her nose.

“See, look,” Yuuri said, kneeling in front of Axel and manipulating one of the coins in his hand so it looked like it was coming from behind her ear.Axel stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed, and in her distraction Yuuri “pulled” a coin from out of Lutz’s ponytail.

“You’re just holding them in your hand,” Loop scoffed, crossing her arms and pouting at him.Yuuri raised an eyebrow, and then shoved his sleeves up his arms and showed her his bare hands before pulling a coin from behind her ear.

Loop blinked uncertainly when he handed her the coin, and then said hesitantly, “That’s not magic.”

Yuuri snapped his fingers, and then showed her the chocolate candy in his palm.“Isn’t it?”

Axel and Lutz both made a grab for the candy, but Yuuri closed his fist.“Nope, not until you admit it’s magic,” he said, opening his hand again to show them his empty palm.

“It’s magic!” Lutz exclaimed, and Axel nodded vehemently in agreement, followed a moment later by Loop.Yuuri chuckled, and then opened his hand again to show them the three candies and a few more coins in his hand.The triplets grabbed for them.

“Show me how you do that,” Loop demanded, mouth full of chocolate.

Yuuri grinned.“Alright.Go meet me in the living room,” he said, and then stood as the triplets ran out of the room, quarrel forgotten.

“Oh my god,” Viktor breathed, eyes wide and on Yuuri.“Marry me.”

Yuuri laughed and stepped forward, kissing his fiancé.“I’m already planning on it,” he whispered.His fingers brushed Viktor’s cheek, and then Yuuri was holding a gold ring in his hand, a ring he had just “pulled” from behind Viktor’s ear.

Viktor looked down at his bare ring finger, and then smiled when Yuuri slid the engagement ring back on before kissing it.“You’re magic,” he whispered.


	3. It Gets Better

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 - Growing Up | High School AU / College AU --This turned out... a lot sadder than I expected. Whoops.
> 
> Ahh I'm sorry, I know this is a day late. I was feeling under the weather and kind of burnt out yesterday, and I couldn't find the motivation or inspiration to write. Sorry about that. I've pretty much resigned myself to being a day behind, but I might be able to catch up? Anyway, thanks for waiting, and sorry this is a bit late.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

“Yuuri, are you sure about this?” Mari said, leaning against the doorway of her brother’s bedroom with a cigarette pinched between her lips.

Yuuri took a deep breath and turned to face her.“I think I am,” he said with a resolute nod, but his hands were shaking.

Mari sighed, and then put out her cigarette.“Your English isn’t terrible, all things considered,” she said, trying to be reassuring.

Yuuri gulped.“I think I’ll be all right,” he said.“I _have_ to be.”

“I almost can’t believe you’re really doing it,” Mari said, coming into her little brother’s room and sitting down on his bed.She looked around.Yuuri’s room looked barren with only half of his posters still up on the walls, with many of his belongings packed in boxes and suitcases.“I’m can’t believe you’re going to America.”

“Me neither,” Yuuri sighed, sitting down next to her.He stared at his hands.“It doesn’t completely seem real that a coach in another country would actually want _me_.”

Mari elbowed him in the side.“Hey, what have we talked about?”

Yuuri sighed.“No self deprecation,” he muttered.

“Eh, reduced at least,” Mari agreed.She settled her elbow on his shoulder as if he was an armrest, and then said, “Which part of the United States is Detroit in, again?”

Yuuri anxiously pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.“The north part of the middle, I think,” he said.“The cold part.”

Mari shivered sympathetically.“Did Mama pack you enough sweaters?”

Yuuri laughed in spite of himself.“A whole box.”

Mari sobered.“Listen, kid,” she said, fiddling with the dyed tips of her hair.“I know it might not seem like it, but I’m going to miss having you around all the time.”

Yuuri looked up at her in surprise.“Really?”

Mari smiled slightly.“Yeah,” she said, putting an arm around his shoulders.“Who else would I tease?”

Yuuri smiled shakily, trying not to let his sickening nerves show.“Thanks.”

Mari nodded.She pulled her little brother into an awkward half hug, and then stood.“I’ll let you pack for college,” she said, and then left. 

Yuuri smiled at her back, trying to ignore the homesickness that was already brewing in the pit of his stomach.

***

Yuuri’s first day of college in America was nothing short of a disaster.

For starters, he started college only two days after he got to America, a severe oversight on his part, and was still exhausted from the move and absolutely jet lagged.He slept far too late and was in a panic to get to the correct lecture hall in time and it was twenty minutes into his first class before he realized that he wasn’t taking environmental sciences.Yuuri almost cried then and there as the lecture hall of students and the teacher watched him hurry out of the classroom to find the correct one, but he managed to keep himself together through the humiliation of finding his hour long class half an hour late and getting a strict glare from the professor and titters from the rest of the students.

Yuuri slumped in the back of the class for the half an hour that was left, and then left quickly and kept his head down before the professor could pull him aside.He hurried through the rest of his day with his shoulders slumped and his eyes fixed to the ground, struggling to keep up with the fast paced English of his professors and fellow students, pushing through his crushing exhaustion, and constantly on edge about being in a completely different country.

At the end of the day he finally managed to find a coffee shop, and staggered in.It took him several minutes to figure out exactly what the cramped, smudged English words on the chalkboard behind the ordering counter, and in that time four people snapped at him to move (even though he wasn’t in the way), three people shoved him or bumped into him, and more than seven muttered rude things under their breath.By the time Yuuri figured out how to order what he wanted and approached the counter, he felt like he was on the edge of tears.

“What do you want?” the barista asked in a bored voice.

Yuuri’s eyes darted to the board again to check his order one last time, and then he all but whispered, “Decaffeinated green tea, please.”He winced.His accent was horrible, it didn’t even sound like he was speaking English.

“What?” the barista said, frowning.“Kid, you gotta speak up.”

Yuuri swallowed, and then avoided eye contact as he said slightly louder, “I would like some green tea.Onegaishimasu.”

The barista frowned at him, but nodded and put in the order.“You’re not from around here, are you?”

Yuuri shrunk in on himself, face bright red.When the barista handed him his drink he quickly scuttled away to a removed corner of the coffee shop, eyes glued to the ground.He hunched down in his seat and tried to blink tears from his eyes.He took a sip of his tea, only to find that it was both not the kind he had ordered, and scalding hot.

Yuuri winced in surprise, and succeeded in splashing about a quarter of the boiling tea on his lap and shirt before he managed to put the cup down.One tear squeezed out between his eyelashes and dripped off the tip of his nose as he tried in vain to clean the tea off the front of one of his favorite shirts.

“It gets better,” Yuuri whispered hopelessly.“It has to get better.”Maybe if he said it enough he would believe it.

***

In the three years that Yuuri was Phichit’s roommate, he didn’t hear Phichit cry once.That wasn’t to say Yuuri didn’t think Phichit cried; he was sure his friend did, everyone did.But Phichit was clever, and also very proud.He wouldn’t want Yuuri to know when he was upset.

That was why Yuuri was quite surprised to come home from a late practice to find Phichit curled up on the couch, flicking through Instagram with silent tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Phichit?” Yuuri said cautiously, setting his skate bag down on the floor and gently closing the door behind him.“Is everything alright?”

Phichit sat up abruptly, turning his face away and hastily wiping away his tears.“Yep, everything’s good, I’m great!” he exclaimed with clearly false cheer, voice cracking on the last word. 

Yuuri gingerly sat down on the couch.“Are you sure, Phichit?” he asked.

“Yep, yep, yep, I’m just fine,” Phichit said in a tiny voice.

Yuuri gave him a small smile, and opened his arms.Almost immediately, Phichit fell into his roommate’s arms, sniffling.Yuuri hugged his best friend as Phichit cried into his shoulder, rubbing his back and murmuring small reassurances in Japanese.Phichit’s tears slowed after a few minutes and he leaned back a little, although not enough to be out of Yuuri’s arms.

“Sorry,” he muttered, looking very embarrassed.

“Don’t be,” Yuuri said, pulling his friend closer again.Phichit leaned his head against Yuuri’s shoulder.

”What’s the matter?” Yuuri asked.

“It’s stupid,” Phichit muttered.“I was looking at some pictures my sister sent me.This is the longest time I’ve ever been away from my family.I… I miss Thailand.”

Yuuri hummed sympathetically.Homesickness was something he understood very well.“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked.

“I miss the stupidest things,” Phichit muttered.“I mean, obviously I miss my family, I miss my friends, but… My mom, she always smells like lemongrass, did you know that?No matter what she’s been doing, she always smells like lemongrass.I tried to find that same smell over here, but… it’s just not the same.”Yuuri nodded, listening closely.

Emboldened, Phichit continued.“My dad, he sneezes really loudly.Sometimes when my siblings and I were really little, we’d get scared and start crying when he sneezed, and I never get to hear that anymore.And back home, my brother and I shared a room, and he snores very loudly.Like a foghorn, they’d say over here.I’d gotten used to it, sleeping in the same room as him for years, and now it’s so weird not to have him in the same room as me at night.”He looked up at Yuuri.“Do you miss Japan?”

Yuuri chuckled.“All the time,” he admitted.“I miss my family, my friends, Minako-sensei, my dog, my mom’s katsudon, the cherry blossoms in the spring… One of the biggest things, though, is the fact that nothing around here is printed in Japanese.It’s very annoying.”

Phichit laughed.“English is so weird!” he exclaimed.“I really don’t understand American slang half the time.”

“And the silent letters,” Yuuri added with a laugh.“When I first started taking English classes back in Japan, for the longest time I believed the word “thought” was spelled T-H-O-T.”

“And the numbers, too!” Phichit exclaimed.“One through ten all have one syllable, except seven.What makes seven so special?”

They both laughed at that, and then sobered.“I know it’s hard,” Yuuri murmured.“It’s so hard to be away from home, where everything’s so different and a lot of the people seem to be more rude, and the food doesn’t taste as familiar and the work is hard and there’s always that one professor who’s the devil incarnate… but it gets better.”

“Yeah?” Phichit murmured.

Yuuri smiled at his friend.“Yeah,” he said.“It gets better.”


	4. Thanks For Watching Out For Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 - Challenges | Fighting Anxiety / Training and Hard work
> 
> These chapters are getting shorter and shorter, oops. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The fourth time Yuuri stayed at the rink for practice until one in the morning in a week, Phichit stepped in.

He was genuinely worried about his friend.Yuuri was an incredible skater, with some of the most beautiful step sequences in the business, and he had to work hard to get that.But Yuuri was also remarkably stubborn, and not always the best at taking care of himself.Phichit couldn’t count the number of times over the years he had had to cajole Yuuri into leaving his homework for the next morning, or to turn off his video games and go to bed, or to please leave the rink and eat something substantial.

And it wasn’t like Phichit wasn’t stubborn in his own right- Yuuri had taken his phone more than once after Phichit stayed up far too late on SNS, and had come to pick him up from several parties that he wouldn’t have safely been able to drive himself home from.As college students in a foreign country without their parents anywhere near to keep an eye on them, and as best friends, Phichit and Yuuri took care of each other.

It was because of this that Phichit began to get increasingly worried when he woke up to find Yuuri already gone from their apartment, and when he got to the rink discovered Yuuri staking in anxious circles with bags under his eyes.Those bags seemed to get larger every day, and Phichit knew he would have to step in soon.

Things came to a head on a Tuesday night, technically very early on a Wednesday morning.Phichit had left an anxious Yuuri at the rink to cool down, planning to go home and order them a very late dinner.He started to get worried when it was after nine, and Yuuri didn’t come home. Around nine thirty, Phichit called Celestino.

“He’s still not back?” the coach said in surprise.“I left him skating figures half an hour ago.”

“Can we have the day off tomorrow?” Phichit asked.“Yuuri needs it.”

Celestino agreed, and Phichit hung up before settling on the couch to wait for his friend.

***

Yuuri came home exhausted from practice, but feeling a little better than he had in the beginning of the day.His first Grand Prix qualifier was coming in less than a month, and Yuuri was caught between wanting to curl up in bed and hide for the rest of his life, and just living at the rink so he could practice all day.

He let himself into his and Phichit’s apartment as quietly as possible, and closed the door behind him.

“Yuuri.”

Yuuri jumped, and then slowly turned.Phichit was sitting on the couch in the small, dim living room, only illuminated by the light on his phone.

“Phichit!” Yuuri said with an awkward, forced smile.“You really shouldn’t be up this late, we have practice early tomorrow.”

Phichit slowly got to his feet.He turned his phone off to slide it in his pocket, and somehow the shadows of the room made him look ethereal and rather intimidating.“I could say the same for you, Yuuri,” Phichit said sternly, and flicked on one of the lights in the kitchen.Shadows still danced across the right side of his face as he added, “Do you know what time it is?”

Yuuri bit his lip.“A little after one?” he guessed.He hadn’t looked at the time since leaving the rink.

“Yeah,” Phichit said, planting his hands on his hips.Despite his smaller frame, Yuuri was a bit scared.Phichit was very rarely serious; he was normally cheerful and bubbly even in the worst situations.The only time he got truly serious was if something bad happened that needed him to be stone-faced, or if he was very irritated.Yuuri suspected that in this case it was the latter.

“We should probably go to bed,” Yuuri mumbled, avoiding his friend’s eyes.“It’s late.”

“Yeah, I know,” Phichit said with eyes narrowed.He sighed and took his hands off his hips, and some of the tension drained from his frame.“I already called Ciao Ciao,” he said.“We’re not going to practice tomorrow.”

Yuuri blinked.“What?”

“I changed our rest day,” Phichit elaborated.“We’re going to sleep in tomorrow and then do something fun and relaxing.No one is going anywhere near the ice rink until Thursday.”

Yuuri swallowed.“But I have my qualifier, I need to practice,” he started to protest.

Phichit shook his head.“Yuuri, I know you’re a hard worker, and trust me, everyone is so impressed with the effort you’re making.But you’re going to hurt yourself if you keep going like this.”

Yuuri swallowed guiltily.“I’ll be fine, but thank you for worrying about me,” he said.

Phichit shook his head.“Wrong answer,” he said.“Sorry Yuuri.I know you don’t like it, but this is an intervention.If you work yourself too hard you’ll hurt yourself before the competition.”

Yuuri sighed, but had to admit his friend had a point.

Phichit smiled at him, sensing his grudging consent.“Thank you, Yuuri,” he said, stepping forward and giving Yuuri a hug. 

Yuuri smiled and hugged his friend back, smiling a little wider when Phichit yawned into his shoulder and leaned heavily against him.“Thanks for watching out for me,” he murmured.


	5. That's What We're For

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 - Support | Yuuri + Family / Yuuri + Friends
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Sometimes when Yuuri really, really needed to hear a familiar voice during his first year in America, he would call Yuuko.And despite being thirteen hours ahead and engaged, she always answered, usually with a greeting from Takeshi as well.

Yuuri felt bad, sometimes, about calling her.After all, a lot of the time it was very late or very early in Japan, and Yuuko was busy with her family and her job and the rest of her education.But she was always so nice, it was always so nice to be able to talk to someone he knew like a sister, almost as well as he knew himself.Yuuko was his first best friend, and she was almost always able to help banish his homesickness for a little while.

“I feel like I don’t belong anywhere,” Yuuri admitted in a whisper, clutching the phone desperately.It was a terrible hour to be awake in Detroit, but it was what worked best for Yuuko.“I’ve been here two months, and I’m still not used to it.Everything is so strange.I… I miss Hasetsu.”

“Everyone here misses you too,” Yuuko told him.“But we’re all so proud of you for what you’re accomplishing, as well.I know things will get better.You’re strong, Yuuri, if anyone can make it, you can.”

“I’m scared I’m going to have to come back to Hasetsu in defeat,” Yuuri mumbled, curling in on himself.“I… I don’t want to admit weakness, but I’m not sure I can do it.”

“Obviously you’ll always be welcome in Hasetsu, it’s your home,” Yuuko said reassuringly.“But you’re not weak.It sounds like it’s hard, being in America, but you’re going to make it.We’re all cheering for you over here.”

Yuuri blinked.His eyes were watering, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the emotion or the fact that it was three in the morning.“Thank you, Yuuko,” he said softly.

Even though he couldn’t see his friend, he could hear the smile in her voice.“Any time, Yuuri.That’s what friends are for.”

***

Yuuri trudged down the sidewalk back towards his and Phichit’s apartment, head down and shoulders slumped.It was a few days until his twenty second birthday, and it was around this time of year every year that he got more homesick that usual.

He missed being able to spend time with his family and friends back in Japan on his birthday.Mari was always nicer to him on his birthday, Minako would give him an easier time in the ballet studio, Yuuko and Takeshi would come over for a small party, his mom would make birthday katsudon.Even Vicchan usually seemed more friendly, bounding around and constantly leaning against Yuuri or sitting in his lap or nudging him affectionately for pets.

But this was his fourth year in America, the fourth year that he wouldn’t be home for his birthday.It  _was_ the second year of Phichit, though. The younger boy had figured out the year previous that Yuuri was homesick and sad around his birthday, and had gone out of his way to find Yuuri some authentic Japanese food for a birthday meal.It hadn’t been katsudon, but Yuuri had been so grateful, actually _happy…_

He sighed gloomily, thinking about the stale ramen awaiting him back at their apartment.He really needed to go grocery shopping.He had meant to do it the day before, but then he stayed late at the rink like usual and the stores were closed by the time he went home.If Phichit was sent to the store, he’d come back with several interesting and wonderful items, but none of the things he had been sent to get.

Yuuri fumbled for his key in his pocket, fingers numb in the crisp November night, and then unlocked the apartment.“I’m back,” he called quietly as he stepped into the warm light of the small entrance way closing the door behind him.It wasn’t all that late, strictly speaking, but Yuuri had found Phichit asleep on the couch too many times to count when he came home from the rink in the early evening.

“Yuuri!” Phichit shouted excitedly. “Come here!”

Yuuri put his skating bag down next to the door and then wandered into the kitchen to find Phichit standing at the counter, fiddling with two bowls of something.“What are you doing?” Yuuri asked with a small smile.Maybe Phichit had cooked.Yuuri would welcome literally anything to eat but ramen.

Phichit turned and gave him a nervous smile.“I know you get kind of sad and homesick around this time of year,since you miss your family.So… I tried to make you katsudon?”

Yuuri gaped at his friend.Phichit, probably misinterpreting his reaction, added hastily, “I found a recipe online, and I’m not exactly sure I made it correctly, but-”

Yuuri interrupted him with an enormous hug, a hug Phichit returned after a moment with a smile.“Thank you,” Your whispered.“Thank you so much.You’re the best person ever.”He could smell the katsudon now, not exactly the same as his mother’s but still wonderfully, achingly familiar.

Phichit chuckled, and squeezed him a little tighter.“That’s what friends are for.”

***

The first night back in Japan after the Cup of China, Yuuri’s father came to find him.Viktor was already asleep in Yuuri’s room, exhausted from the travel and the excitement of the competition, and Yuuri was on his way there himself when his father stopped him.Toshiya gave Yuuri a small, gentle smile, waiting for him to speak first.

Yuuri swallowed nervously, pushing his glasses up his nose.“I’m guessing you all saw the competition?” he said, hoping he didn’t sound as nervous as he felt.“And, um… everything else?”

The kiss, Yuuri and Viktor’s kiss after the free skate, had been far from their first.But the fact that their relationship was public now changed things.Yuuri’s mother had insisted more than once that she and his father didn’t care if he loved a man, would be just as pleased if he ended up dating or marrying someone of the same gender so long as he was happy.But Yuuri always worried, just a little, about what would happen if they changed their minds.What if his parents decided one day that they didn’t want a gay son?

Toshiya nodded.“We saw,” he said, and his smile grew.“I won the betting pool.”

“The betting pool?” Your repeated dumbly.

Toshiya nodded, eyes bright and cheerful.“The betting pool for when you and Vicchan would finally tell the world about your love.I bet after the competition in China.Didn’t anticipate that kiss, though.Your Vicchan is very enthusiastic, isn’t he?”

“You don’t mind?” Yuuri blurted, and then winced.

Toshiya chuckled.“Of course not,” he said.“We’ve all known for a while anyway, what with the way he hangs off you, the way you listen to him.Who could mind the way you two look at each other?It’s clear you’re both in love.It’s wonderful to see.”

Yuuri wasn’t always a physically affectionate person, and his father wasn’t either, but when Yuuri flung his arms around his father Toshiya immediately hugged him back.“Thank you,” Yuuri whispered.“Thank you for supporting me.”

“That’s what family’s for,” Toshiya replied.


	6. Life and Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 - Success | Internal / External
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Yuuri froze in the ending position of his routine and held it for a moment before collapsing to his hands and knees on the ice, panting, eyes watering.Around him echoed the wild clapping and cheering and screaming of the audience at the World Championships, and above it the echoing announcements from the commentators.

After a moment Yuuri managed to push himself to his feet and skated to the exit of the ice, where Viktor was waiting.

Yuuri skated right into his fiancé's arms in exhaustion, and Viktor held him silently before murmuring, "We have to go to the kiss and cry, zolotse, it's Seung-gil's turn."Yuuri nodded and accepted his blade guards from his coach, snapping them over his blades before stepping of the ice.

"You were magnificent, zolotse,” Viktor whispered, sliding his arm around Yuuri's waist once they were in the kiss and cry.Yuuri smiled tiredly, leaning into Viktor's side.He was exhausted from his skate, but he had given one of the last competition performances of Yuri on Ice his all.Now he hoped it would be enough to put him on the podium.

"You're going to win, Yuuri," Viktor said whispered, jiggling his knee impatiently as they waited for Yuuri's scores.

"I don't know," Yuuri said.He had been in third after the short program, but he wasn't sure his skate would be enough to win him a World Championship gold.

Viktor opened his mouth to protest, but before he could say anything his scores came up on the screen."Zolotse!Look!" Viktor gasped, clinging to Yuuri.Yuuri squinted at his scores, and then gaped.He had scored just shy of his previous free program world record, putting him in first.He had just barely edged out Chris, and surpassed Yurio, Otabek, and Phichit in their cluster by a few more points.

"Yuuri," Viktor said, hugging Yuuri again and then pulling him in for a kiss on camera."Now whatever happens, you'll medal," Viktor said happily."Zolotse, I'm so proud."

Yuuri smiled, kissing Viktor on the cheek."You helped, Vitya," he pointed out."I wouldn't be here without your support."

Viktor gave him a sweet smile.“Thank you, zolotse,” he said, giving Yuuri’s hand a squeeze.“I love you.”

Yuuri smiled and squeezed his hand back.“I love you, too.”

They watched as Seung-gil finished his skate, a strong routine with his recently added quad loop, and then got out of the kiss and cry.While Seung-gil got his scores, Yuuri and Viktor wandered over to where they had seats.Yurio intercepted them.

“Nice job, or whatever,” he said to Yuuri, a hint of a smile on his lips.The younger Russian was currently in fifth place, behind Yuuri, Chris, Phichit and Seung-gil (who had apparently edged onto the leaderboard just under Yuuri), but for whatever reason he didn’t seem all that upset about it.

Yuuri gave him a wide smile.“Thank you, Yurio,” he said.“You looked good too.”

Yurio shrugged.“My Agape was better at the GPF,” he said.“It screwed me over this time.”Yuuri just shrugged.Yurio had fumbled two of his jumps during his short program that had put him in tenth at the end of the day, wobbling on a triple and touching down on a quad, but his emotion had been better than the Grand Prix Finals.

“Anyway, whatever happens, you’re going to medal,” Yurio said.“So at least I won’t have boring officials talking to me during the banquet like last time.”

Yuuri chuckled.“You’ll still be fifth or sixth in the world,” he pointed out.“I’d say you’ll have plenty of people who want to talk to you.”

The sixteen year old groaned and rolled his eyes. “Ugh.If you say so.I’m going to find Otabek so we can throw stuff at JJ after his program, see you losers later.”  Yuuri raised an eyebrow, but nodded and waved as Yurio stalked off without any anger or tension in his frame.

Viktor took Yuuri’s hand as the familiar music of JJ’s free skate started. “They apparently brought carrots, heads of lettuce, and Viktor Nikiforov bobblehead figures to throw,” Viktor told him as they found seats.“I think it’s fairly harmless.”

Yuuri laughed.“Probably.”They sat down together, and Yuuri watched in silence as JJ skated his program cleanly, ending triumphantly before going to the kiss and cry for his scores.

“You’ve got this, Yuuri,” Viktor whispered to himself.“You can win.”

Yuuri squinted up at the scoreboard, and then his jaw dropped when JJ’s score was displayed, squeezing in between Yuuri and Seung-gil and leaving Yuuri in first.

“Yuuri!” Viktor squealed, practically tackling Yuuri in a hug.“You won!Zolotse, you won!”

Yuuri felt his eyes fill with happy tears, and he hugged Viktor back, the audience and the commentators fading to a dull roar in the background as Viktor whispered over and over, “You did it.I love you so much, Yuuri, you did it. I’m so proud of you.”

***

They had a small wedding in Hasetsu.

Viktor had pitched the idea of a large wedding, with tons of guests and festivities that would last for weeks, but had acquiesced when Yuuri pointed out that it would really cut into their honeymoon if they spent a week partying.Viktor had agreed, and they planned a small ceremony under the blossoming cherry trees by the beach, with Yuuri’s family and some close friends there to celebrate with them.

On the day of the wedding, Yuuri woke up knowing he should probably be nervous, but he felt nothing but contentment.Next to him Viktor still slumbered, expression peaceful as he curled up in Yuuri’s embrace.It was a rare thing for Yuuri to wake up first and he savored it, gazing down with soft eyes at his husband to be.

Their wedding ceremony was planned for the late afternoon, and then they could eat dinner on the beach and watch the sunset.

Viktor stirred slightly, nuzzling closer to Yuuri’s chest and making a small murmuring noise that sounded almost like Yuuri’s name.Yuuri smiled down at him and cuddled him close, brushing Viktor’s hair away from his forehead before kissing it. 

Viktor’s eyes fluttered open, and he pouted jokingly up at Yuuri.“Zolotse, is making fun of your fiancé’s forehead any way to start the morning?And on our wedding day, too!”

Yuuri laughed, and kissed Viktor on the temple.“I love your forehead.More room for me to kiss.”

Viktor huffed out a little laugh, and then shifted so they were lying nose to nose, breath mingling in the small space between them.Yuuri and Viktor gazed sappily into each other’s eyes for several minutes, occasionally exchanging a soft kiss or a murmured word of love, until there was a knock on the door.

“Are you two decent?” Mari called, voice slightly muffled by the door.Yuuri checked to make sure they were both covered by the sheets, and then called out an affirmative.

Mari walked in, covering her eyes cautiously for a moment before letting her hand fall when she saw they weren’t indecent.Yuuri propped himself up on one elbow to look at his sister, and Viktor rolled on his other side with a small smile.

“I just wanted to let you know that Phichit is finally here,” Mari said.“He’s getting his suitcase out of the car right now, but I figured you’d want a warning so you could be presentable.He looks about ready to collapse, but he’ll wander in here before he takes a nap.”

Yuuri smiled.Phichit’s flight to Japan had been cancelled and then his next one delayed because of storms in Thailand, so he was glad his friend had made it safely.“Thanks for the warning,” he said with a laugh.

Mari nodded.“I’ll see you in a bit,” she said.“Yurio already left to go sightseeing, but he’ll probably barge in here too if you stay in bed too late.”Yuuri laughed.Mari waved, and then left the room.

Viktor turned back to Yuuri as Yuuri settled on the bed again, and reached up to caress his face.“We’re going to do this every day,” he murmured, and gave Yuuri a gentle kiss.There was nothing but love and adoration shining in his eyes, his attention completely focused on Yuuri.“We’re going to wake up next to each other every day.”

Yuuri smiled softly at his fiancé, heart swelling with love.“We are, aren’t we?” he whispered, brushing Viktor’s fringe out of his eyes before kissing the corner of his mouth, the tip of his nose, the smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose that came out after hours in the sun.

“Oh, god,” Viktor whispered, sounding a little choked up.“I love you _so_ much, Yuuri.”

Yuuri blushed and smiled, burying his face in the crook of Viktor’s neck.“I love you too, Viten’ka.”He sighed happily as Viktor’s arms curled around him, pulling him closer.

A year ago, he would have never imagined that this kind of bone-deep, satisfying contentment, this kind of overflowing happiness and love, would ever be possible for him.He never would have imagined being able to fall head over heels in love, and to have someone who loved him back just as much.He would have never imagined that he would not only come to love Viktor as a person rather than as an idol, but to marry him in his home and prepare to spend the rest of their lives together.

Yuuri decided, as he nestled himself in Viktor’s embrace, that he had never been more grateful for his successes in life and love as he was right then.


	7. Quiet Day In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 - Romantic Birthday | Yuuri with Viktor
> 
> Guess who caught up! Technically it's the 30th, but shhhh...
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Viktor had everything all planned out.

On the morning of Yuuri’s twenty fifth birthday, which Viktor had specifically planned as a rest day, he and his husband would wake up and spend a lazy few minutes in bed.They would get up and Viktor would cook them a delicious breakfast with the ingredients he had picked up fresh at the market the day before.They would spend some time together in the apartment before going on a romantic picnic in the park and a walk along the shore, while holding hands, of course.

After lunch and a walk Viktor would take Yuuri to the most romantic spot in St. Petersburg, and they would spend a little time there before returning to the apartment in time for some afternoon coffee and a romantic comedy to watch as they snuggled together in a blanket nest on the couch.

In the evening they would go out for a wonderful, romantic dinner for two at a fancy restaurant where Viktor had already booked them a reservation, and Viktor would hold Yuuri’s hand and they could share food and wine and talk.When they got back from dinner, obviously they would fall into bed together, and Viktor would dedicate the rest of the night to gently display the devotion and adoration he had for his amazing husband.

It was the perfect plan, guaranteed to show Yuuri how much Viktor loved and appreciated him.

Of course, the plan went wrong as soon as Viktor woke up.

His first mistake was forgetting to reset his alarm.On days where they had practice, Viktor regularly got up around 5:30 and showered before waking Yuuri up at 6.When his alarm went off at 5:30, Viktor was fast asleep and happily curled up in his husband’s arms, dead to the world.He only became aware of the alarm when Yuuri shifted, and mumbled in Viktor’s ear, “Vitya- alarm…”

Viktor nuzzled yuuri’s chest.He didn’t have an alarm, it was a rest day, they could sleep in.Oh, shit.He had an alarm.Viktor sat up straight in bed, inadvertently wrenching himself out of Yuuri’s arms, and fumbled with his phone for far too long before he managed to get the alarm to shut up.When he turned back, Yuuri was blinking sleepily up at him.

“Isn’t it a rest day?” he mumbled, eyes already fluttering closed again.

Viktor winced.“It is, I’m so sorry, my darling,” he whispered, kissing Yuuri on the forehead.“Go back to sleep, zvezda.”

Yuuri smiled sleepily and burrowed back under the covers with a happy little sighing sound.Viktor’s heart melted at how adorable his husband was, and he moved to get back under the covers as well and fall asleep for another few hours.But now, shocked with adrenaline after panic of needing to turn off his alarm, Viktor was wide awake and he realized he needed to pee.

Viktor very carefully levered himself out of bed, wincing when his bare feet hit the freezing cold floor, and then padded to the bathroom.He muffled a sneeze into the palm of his hand as he turned the lights on and closed the door, and then quickly relieved himself, eager to get back to bed and into Yuuri’s arms.

When Viktor faced himself in the mirror, however, his jaw dropped in shock.His hair was a little disheveled, which wasn’t unusual after just waking up, but his eyes were bloodshot, he had enormous bags underneath them, his cheeks were a little flushed, and his nose was red and runny.Viktor sneezed again and then stared dismally at his refection.He very rarely got colds, maybe once a year or so.Why did it have to be today, of all days?

As if summoned by the thought, Viktor realized his throat felt a little clogged up and coughed into his elbow in an effort to clear it up.That only had the effect of making his throat feel sore.He spit some phlegm into the sink and then filled a glass with water, gargling before swallowing it.

“You are not allowed to get sick, not today,” he told his reflection sternly, and then flicked off the bathroom light and shuffled back to bed.

Unsurprisingly, in the time that Viktor was gone, his beautiful, blanket-hogging husband had managed to wrap the sheets, comforter, and quilt into what was essentially a large blanket burrito around himself.Viktor took a moment to appreciate how angelic his sleeping husband looked, with his fluffy hair poking out of the blanket burrito, his rosy cheeks a little flushed in sleep and his lips parted slightly, the glint of the golden rings on his finger just barely visible in the dim light of the bedroom.

That done, Viktor carefully worked his cold hands into Yuuri’s warm cocoon and got just enough slack to ease himself under the covers instead.Yuuri mumbled something in Japanese when Viktor’s freezing feet brushed his thighs, but curled into Viktor’s side for the body heat once he started to warm up a little.

Viktor sighed happily.Maybe they had woken up too early, and maybe Viktor was a little under the weather, but it didn’t matter.This would be the best birthday Yuuri had ever had, if Viktor had any say in it.

***

“Vitya.Vitya, wake up,” someone murmured.

Viktor made a small moaning noise, and then forced his eyelids apart.“Yuuri?” he mumbled.

Yuuri gently smoothed his hair off his face and then kissed his forehead.“Are you feeling alright?” he asked.“You don’t look well.”Right on cue, Viktor coughed wetly, and then tried to stifle it in his fist. Yuuri smiled sympathetically, staying where he was despite the fact that Viktor had just coughed on him, and pressed his hand to Viktor’s forehead.“You feel a little warm,” he said worriedly.

Viktor tamped down the cough brewing in his chest, and smiled weakly at Yuuri.“I feel great,” he said cheerily.“The best I’ve ever felt!”

Yuuri frowned doubtfully.

“Don’t worry about me,” Viktor insisted.“Today’s your birthday!Happy birthday!”

Yuuri laughed.“Thank you, Vitya,” he said.

Viktor pushed himself until he was sitting upright, and smiled down at his husband.“I’m going to make us breakfast,” he said.“You can sleep in, love, we have a rest day.”

“Are you sure?” Yuuri asked with a small frown.“If you don’t feel well, I’m perfectly happy to cook for the both of us.”

Viktor shook his head."It's your birthday, darling," he said."Let me take care of you."

Yuuri smiled.“Alright, if you insist,” he teased.“Thank you, Vitya.”

Viktor smiled, and then planted a kiss on the top of his husband’s head.“Of course,” he said.“I love you.”

“I love you too,” Yuuri laughed, and leaned up to kiss Viktor on the cheek.

“What, no kiss on the lips?” Viktor chuckled.

Yuuri grinned sheepishly.“I don’t want to get sick if I don’t have to,” he admitted.

Viktor grinned.“I’m right as rain!” he exclaimed, jumping out of bed.A wave of dizziness hit him, and he did his utmost not to stagger or fall over, or show any sort of weakness.When he was steady, when the black spots in front of his eyes went away and the world stopped spinning, Viktor leaned down and kissed Yuuri on the tip of his nose.“I’ll tell you when breakfast is ready, alright darling?” he said.

Yuuri smiled adoringly up at him.“Thank you, Vitya,” he said again.

Viktor gave him one last kiss on the cheek and then left before he was tempted to crawl back in bed and go to sleep again in Yuuri’s arms.Makkachin immediately pawed at his leg and barked happily when Viktor wandered out into the main living area.

“Hey, Makka,” Viktor cooed, and then muffled a cough into his elbow.He scowled at the thought of his cold and resolved to ignore it for the day.

And then he looked out the window for the first time and realized that it was snowing.Viktor's eyes widened.If it had been flurrying, things would have been just fine.They still could have gone out, Yuuri would have looked sweet and adorable with sparkling snowflakes caught in his eyelashes and hair, and they would have no choice but to stay close to each other while outside and then snuggle together once they got back home.But that wouldn’t be possible with the raging blizzard outside.

“Why are you like this?” Viktor asked the weather under his breath, and then turned away.This was alright.He could make this work.

Viktor turned back to the kitchen, only to find Yuuri standing in the doorway.His husband smiled.“According to the internet, it’s unsafe to go outside today,” he said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Viktor’s waist.“What do you say to a quiet day in?”

Viktor bit his lip, trying to stifle a cough.“Are you sure?” he asked.“It’s your birthday, don’t you want to do anything special?”

Yuuri smiled adoringly up at him.“Just being here with you is special,” he said honestly.“Besides, I don’t want you to get any more sick than you are.”

Viktor sniffled, and then hugged his lovely husband.“Are you sure?” he asked.“I wanted to make this your best birthday yet.You deserve all the love in the world, my Yuuri, and I want to give that to you.”

Yuuri kissed him on the tip of the nose.“Vitya, I don’t need a super fancy dinner or a night in a club to know that you love me.Of course, I’d enjoy that, but I’d enjoy it because you would be there.Every day with you is a gift, whether it’s in a glamorous restaurant or on a cute date or snuggled on the couch together during a snowstorm.Just being around you makes this the best birthday.”

Viktor felt his eyes tear up slightly.“Are you sure?”

Yuuri nodded.“Why don’t you go shower, and take something for that cold?” he suggested.“I’ll make breakfast.”

Viktor smiled a little sheepishly.“Thanks.”

Yuuri kissed his jaw, and then gently patted him on the butt.“Go on.”

Viktor kissed Yuuri on the forehead, and then left to shower.When he got out, nose a little less stuffed up from the steam, he found Yuuri waiting at the table with two plates of warm food, syrniki and eggs, and even Viktor’s Russian tea the way he liked it along with his own Japanese tea.

Yuuri smiled beautifully when Viktor sat down next to him, and then took his hand and laced their fingers together.“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” Viktor replied.They smiled happily at each other for a moment, and then Viktor asked, “Do you want your birthday present now or later?”

Yuuri smiled shyly.“Do you have it now?”

Viktor pulled an envelope out of his pocket.“I have another one,” he said.“But it’s a little more… fun.For later tonight.”He winked, and Yuuri blushed cutely before opening the envelope.

“Vitya!” he gasped in delight when he saw the plane tickets inside, plane tickets that would fly them to Barcelona.

“I thought it would be fun to go back to where we were first engaged,” Viktor said with a smile.“We can go to a few other cities too, if you like.”

Yuuri enveloped Viktor in a warm hug, clinging tight and pressing his face into Viktor’s shoulder.“Thank you,” he whispered.“You’re amazing.I love you.”

Viktor smiled, and kissed Yuuri’s ring when his husband let go.

They held hands for the rest of breakfast, even when Viktor occasionally turned away to cough or sneeze into his hand, and fed each other bites off their plates as they softly talked and spent time together in companionable quiet.

It wasn’t the extravagant date that Viktor had planned, he reflected as they washed and dried their dishes together before sitting on the couch to stream a movie, but somehow it was just as nice.And when Yuuri happily held his hand and leaned into his side as they cuddled, he knew his husband thought so too.

**Author's Note:**

> And that's the end of All the Love in the World! Thanks for reading, and if you're interested, check out [the official blog](https://yuuribirthdayweek.tumblr.com/) for more awesome art and fics :D I hope you enjoyed, feel free to comment/ask questions if you have any or talk to me [here](https://iwritebetterthanispeak.tumblr.com/), and have a wonderful day, dear reader!


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